Starting mechanism for internal-combustion engines.



1. A. KEENAN.

STARTING MECHANISM FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 25.1917.

Patented Apr. 9, 1918.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1-.

J. A. KEENAN. STARTING MECHANISM FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED OCT-25.1917- I 1,262,509. Patented Apr. 9, 1918.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2- 314015144501, 1 U ama/n u i E J. A. KEENAN.

STARTING MECHANISM FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES.

APPLICATION man OCT-25,1917.

1,262,509. Patented Apr. 9, 1918.

-3 SHEETS-SHEET 3- amwzutoa JOHN A. KEENAN, 0F CRETE, NEBRASKA.

STARTING MECHANISM FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 9, 1918.

Application filed October 25, 1917. Serial No. 198,521.

To all whom it may concern .1

Be it known that I, JOHN A. KEENAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Crete, in the county of Saline and State of Nebraska, have invented certain. new and useful Improvements in Starting Mechanism for Internal-Combustion Engines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to engine starters adapted for use in connection with Ford automobiles or those of similar construction, and has for one of its objects to provide such an arrangement of parts that a motordriven shaft may be used in connecti n with the fly-wheel for starting the engine, said arrangement having reference to the form of the transmission case, a change of location for the exhaust pipe, and other changes which renders operation convenient and effective for starting the engine by means of said motor shaft.

Another object is to provide such a construction for the operating parts driven by the electric motor that undue vibration may be practically eliminated and that durability of said parts may be attained, the parts being few and of simple construction. The invention also includes a means for preventing the entrance of oil to the electric motor from the crank case.

The invention consists of the novel construction, combination and arran ement of parts as described herein and claimed, and as illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein, I

Figure 1 is a broken away plan view showlng the transmission cover and case, the mounting thereof being upon an automobile frame, a part of the engine being also shown and the preferred arrangement for the exhaust pipe. Fig. 2 is a side view of the parts shown in Fig. 1, the exhaust pipe and transmission cover being broken away and parts being in section to clearly show the starting mechanism. Fig. 3 is a detail relating to Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a rear end view of the transmission cover. Fig. 5 is a front end view of the same. Fi 6 is a detail relating to Fig. 2, the revo uble sleeve being shown disposed adjacent to the ring gear of the fly wheel, a part of the cylindrical housing for the electric motor being broken away.

Referring now to the drawing for a more particular description, numeral 6 indicates a segmental part of a transmission cover adapted to be fitted upon the transmission case 7 of the Ford type of automobiles, one of the distinguishing features relating to said cover being that it is provided at its rear side with a cylindrical housing 8 opening upon the segmental chamber of said cover, said housing preferably being secured to the rear vertical wall of the cover and .the longitudinal extension 6' of the segmental part by means of bolts 9, another distinguishing feature being that the front vertical wall of the cover is provided with a cylindrical imperforate "cap 10, this cap preferably having a threaded connection with a collar 4: which is provided for said wall, the longitudinal axes of said cap and cylindrical housing being disposed in alinement and parallel with the axis and adjacent to the periphery of the fly wheel 11, the latter being provided with a peripheral gear 12. Numeral 13 indicates the crank case adapted to contain a supply of oil, and numeral 14: indicates the frame of the automobile upon which the transmission case is supported.

Numeral 15 indicates an electric motor disposed in the cylindrical housing 8, the shaft 16 of the motor extending transversely of and entirely through the segmental part of the transmission case. its terminal being disposed within the cylindrical cap 10 adjacent to the end thereof and provided with a collar 17 suitably secured thereon.

Revolubly mounted on the shaft 16 is a sleeve 18, the terminal part of sa1d sleeve adjacent to the motor being provided with a threaded portion 6, said sleeve also being provided, at the outer terminal of its splral gear with a lug c.

Numeral 19 indicates a helical spring d1sposed within the cylindrical caplO, one of its ends being secured to the collar 17 by means of a keeper 20, its opposite end being secured to the sleeve by the keeper 21, and it will be understood that the revoluble movement of the motor shaft will cause a revoluble movement of the sleeve, since the collar 17 rotates with the shaft.

tating the fly wheel and the engine shaft :1), the movement of the gear 22 longitudinally of the sleeve continuing until the lug d with which this gear is provided engages the lug c of the sleeve, a reverse movement of the gear 22, longitudinally of the sleeve, being occasioned thereafter by operation of the spring on account of the increased degree of rotation of the engine shaft when it attains its normal speed.

Since the open end of the cylindrical housing 8 is in communication with the chamber of the segmental part 6 of the transmission cover, and since oil is conducted by the movements of the fly wheel to all parts of the mechanism employed, means are provided to prevent the oil from entering the electric motor, consisting of the felt washer 6, shown best in Fig, 3, which is disposed in the cap f and secured to the face of the casing of the electric motor, the felt washer bearing upon the shaft 16.

It will be noted that no bearings are required for the distal end of the shaft 16 and the parts willoperate without undue vibration, this being due in part to the mounting of the cylindrical housing 8, said housing being provided with a flange which bears upon the vertical wall and the extension 6' of the cover and traversed by the bolts 9, and due in part to the fact that the motor shaft 16 has a length substantially equal to the length of the sleeve, also for the reason that member 22 is disposed closely adjacent to the armature shaft bearing, and since vibration is practically eliminated the operation of starting the engine is practically noiseless, and durability is attained.

It is understood that the transmission case shown is one of conventional form used upon the type of automobiles mentioned, with the exception of the extension 6, the cylindrical housing 8 and the cap 10, but it will be appreciated that these new features:

are necessary, for the reason that the operating parts of the automobiles mentioned are of specific form and cannot be changed, and that it is necessary that the spring 19 be mounted upon the distal end of the shaft 16 since it would be obtrusive if disposed elsewhere. Also it will be seen that by disposing the electric motor adjacent to the.

rear wall of the segmental part of the cover it is necessary to arrange the exhaust pipe 24 so that a part thereof will be disposed outwardly of the frame 14, as best shown in Fig. 1, since it would be obtrusive if disposed elsewhere.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is,

l. A starter for an engine shaft having a 11;: wheel provided with a ring gear, a transmission case provided with a segmental part having T. pair of oppositely disposed cylindrical chambers opening thereon, an electric motor mounted in one of said chambers, said motor having a shaft within and disposed in line with the axes of said cylindrical chambers, a sleeve circumscribing and having a. length substantially equal to the length of the motor shaft and provided with a threaded portion, a spring connecting said shaft and sleeve, and a coupling gear mounted on the threaded portion of the sleeve for engagement with the ring gear of the fly wheel by the rotatable movements of said shaft.

2. A starter for an engine shaft having a fly wheel provided with a ring gear, a transmission case provided with a segmental part having a pair of cylindrical chambers opening thereon, a revoluble shaft within and disposed in line with the axes of said cylindrical chambers, a sleeve provided with a lug and having a threaded portion, said sleeve being mounted upon and having a length substantially equal to the length of the shaft, a spirally formed spring connecting the shaft with the sleeve, and a coupling gear provided with a lug and engaging the threaded portion of the sleeve to have a movement longitudinally of the sleeve by actuation of the revoluble shaft for engagement with said ring gear and for engagement of its lug with the lug of the sleeve.

3. A starter for an engine shaft having a fly Wheel provided with a ring gear, a transmission case provided with a segmental part having a pair of opposed, upright walls, a cylindrical cap threaded in one of said upright Walls to open on the segmental part, a second cylindrical cap provided with a flange and mounted to open on the segmental part with its flange engaging the opposite upright wall thereof, a motor in the second cylindrical cap, a shaft adapted to be actuated by said motor and projecting within the first named cylindrical cap, a sleeve provided with a lug and a threaded portion and mounted on the shaft, a spring connecting the shaft with the sleeve, and a gear-wheel provided with a lug and engaging said threaded portion for a movement longitudinally of the sleeve by actuation of the motor shaft to engage the rin gear and to cause engagement of its lug with the lug of the sleeve.

4:. A starter for an engine shaft having a fly wheel provided with a ring gear, a transmission case provided with a segmental part having a cylindrical chamber opening thereon, said segmental part also being provided with an upright, outwardly extending wall having a second cylindrical chamber opening on the segmental part, a revoluble shaft within and disposed in line with the axis of said cylindrical chambers, a sleeve on the shaft and provided with a lug and having a threaded. portion, a helical spring connecting the shaft with the sleeve, and a gear Wheel provided with a lug and engaging said threaded portion to have a movement longitudinally of the sleeve by actuation of the revoluble shaft for engagement With said ring gear and for engagement of its lug with thelug of the sleeve.

5. In devices for the purpose described, the combination of a fly wheel, a motor, a shaft revoluble by the motor, a sleeve revoluble (by the shaft, a coupling gear threaded on the sleeve for engaging the fly wheel, a transmission case having a segmental part to overhang the fly wheel and formed with apertures in its front and rear Walls, an imperforate cap mounted upon and projecting forwardly from its front wall to open upon said segmental part, 'a second cap provided with a flange and mounted to project rearwardly with its flange engaging the rear wall and to open on said segmental part, said caps being disposed with their longitudinal axes substantially in alinement to provide a housing for the motor, the coupling gear and the respective ends of the revoluble shaftand said revoluble sleeve.-

6. In devices for the purpose described,

the combination with a transmission case having a segmental part to overhang the fly wheel of the engine shaft, said segmental part having an aperture in its front wall and having a rear wall provided with Y an outwardly projecting part and having an aperture formed therein, an imperforate cylindrical cap mounted upon and'project nected with said motor-shaft for actuation I of the fly wheel of the engine shaft.

dis-

In testimony whereof, I have aflixed mysignature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN A. KEENAN.

' Witnesses:

HIRAM A. STURGEs, RAYMOND D. SCHNOOR. 

